The Latest Headlines You Need To Know

With no end in sight to the partial government shutdown, and the possibility that 800,000 federal workers will miss another paycheck at the end of this week, the Trump Administration reported Monday that ‘unscheduled absences’ by TSA airport screeners hit 10 percent on Sunday, with that number jumping over the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend, as security screeners continue to work without pay because of a battle between the President and Democrats in Congress over funding for a border wall. “TSA experienced a national rate of 10 percent of unscheduled absences compared to a 3.1 percent rate one year ago on the same weekday,” the Transportation Security Administration reported, again using the same language in a daily news release that “many employees are reporting that they are not able to report to work due to financial limitations.” The number of absent screeners had held around 6 percent much of last week, but the TSA reported the number of screeners not showing up for work as planned hit 7 percent on Friday, 8 percent on Saturday, and then 10 percent on Sunday. . @TSA says that 10 percent of its workforce had an 'unscheduled absence' Sunday, compared to just 3.1 percent on the same day last year; that means more than 3,000 TSA agents called off #GovernmentShutdown — Gabe Gutierrez (@gabegutierrez) January 21, 2019 The TSA said in a news release that ‘99.9 percent of passengers waited less than 30 minutes’ to go through airport screening on Sunday. But on Saturday, excessive sick calls by TSA airport screeners forced officials at Baltimore-Washington International Airport to use emergency plans to deal with the lack of airport screeners, closing a major security checkpoint early at the airport. That major checkpoint for Southwest Airlines flights wasn’t closed for just a few hours – but remained shut down on Sunday and Monday as well, because of a lack of security screeners. “It is important to clarify that it is not unusual for TSA and BWI Marshall to open or close one of our security checkpoints,” the airport said in a written statement. “This will have minimal, if any, impact on passengers and no impact on airport operations,” the BWI statement read. . @TSA in collaboration with airport authorities &amp; servicing airlines will be exercising a contingency plan at @BWI_Airport due to excessive callouts. Checkpoint A will be closing at 5:35pm. Passengers should arrive early for evening flights. Contact airport &amp; airlines for updates — TSA (@TSA) January 19, 2019 Earlier this month, press reports of airport screeners calling in sick because of the government shutdown – and the lack of pay for screeners – was denounced as ‘fake news’ by a top Department of Homeland Security spokesman, as well as the White House. Like other federal workers, TSA screeners have been coming to work since the partial government shutdown started on December 22; they were paid as scheduled on December 29, but missed a check on January 11, and a second check may not be paid on January 25.

A 9-year-old boy driving an all-terrain vehicle crashed over the weekend, killing a 58-year-old passenger in Osceola County, the Florida Highway Patrol said. >> Read more trending news Troopers said the boy was trying to avoid another ATV Saturday on 8 Mile Ranch Road when the vehicle he was operating hit a brim and overturned onto Laura Bizzell, of Avon Park. The boy suffered minor injuries, but Bizzell died, according to the FHP. The other ATV driver, Samuel Christmas, 53, suffered minor injuries. Authorities continue to investigate the incident.

Two people were injured Sunday night after a police car struck them as they lay in a Florida roadway, apparently to watch the lunar eclipse, according to multiple reports. >> Read more trending news The incident happened just before midnight Sunday near the Apoxee Trail, a 2.5-mile nature trail in West Palm Beach, according to WPBF and city officials. A police officer was patrolling the trail Sunday in a Ford Explorer when he struck a man and a woman, both 24, while traveling 5 mph, WPEC and WPBF reported. At the time, the area was extremely dark, according to officials. Police told WPBF that investigators believe the pair was lying in the road to photograph and watch the super blood wolf moon lunar eclipse. They were taken to a hospital with injuries that did not appear to be life-threatening, according to the news station. The officer who struck the pair, who was not identified, was placed on paid administrative leave as police investigate the incident, WPEC reported. Authorities continue to investigate.

Speaking at a commemoration of what would have been her father’s 90th birthday, Rev. Dr. Bernice King criticized the Trump administration Monday for misquoting her father’s works “to suit our own purposes.” >> Read more trending news King’s remarks were aimed at Trump’s border wall push and comments by Vice President Mike Pence, who during an appearance on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday, said: “One of my favorite quotes from Dr. King was ‘Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy.” “You think of how he changed America. He inspired us to change through the legislative process to become a more perfect union,” Pence said on the show. “That’s exactly what President Trump is calling on the Congress to do. Come to the table in the spirit of good faith. We’ll secure our border, we’ll reopen the government and we’ll move our nation forward.” >> Reflecting on MLK: 'The baddest brother of the 20th century' On Monday, during remarks at the annual Martin Luther King Jr. commemorative service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Bernice King said: “If we really want to make real the promises of democracy, now is the time on this King holiday to stop quoting King out of context and misquoting him to suit our own purposes.” The Ebenezer audience applauded warmly. Bernice King also called for action on problems facing the country, ranging from the partial government shutdown affecting federal workers’ livelihood to the resurgence of white supremacist ideologies and voter access problems. “We are in a state emergency because of our humanitarian crises, and it’s not at our southern border,” she said. “The concern for human welfare is being threatened.” “When prejudice and bigotry are emboldened…. when schools continue to be unsafe spaces because of impotent gun control laws…. this is a humanitarian crisis and we are in a state of emergency,” King said. >> Delta contributes grant funding to re-open MLK national park During remarks at the service, U.S. Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., called for reflection on King’s words, saying: “He often reminded us that what united us is far greater than what divides us.” The service came on the holiday weekend when the Martin Luther Jr. National Historical Park reopened to visitors after a closure due to the partial federal shutdown. The reopening was funded with the help of a $83,500 grant from Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines. Reopened for Martin Luther King Jr. weekend through the Super Bowl on Feb. 3, are the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church where King was co-pastor, the home where Martin Luther King Jr. was born, the park’s visitor center and historic Fire Station No. 6. “We ought to be concerned that the cradle of the civil rights movement is also the capital of income inequality in this country today,” said Rev. Raphael Warnock, senior pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church.

A man was hospitalized Sunday after a police chase ended with him jumping off an overpass, according to officials. >> Read more trending news The incident started around 5 p.m. Sunday near 176th Street and Canyon Road in Spanaway when Pierce County deputies tried to stop a car that they say was being driven recklessly. Officials said the driver fled and police began a pursuit. During that time, the driver hit at least one vehicle, authorities said. The chase continued in the eastbound lanes of State Route 512 and onto the northbound lanes of State Route 167, where authorities said the suspect got caught up in traffic. Officials said the driver struck cars on an overpass. His car became so damaged it would no longer run, so he got out of the vehicle and jumped off the overpass, authorities said. Police said the driver fell at least 75 feet to the brush-covered ground below, near Valley Avenue East. Officials found him with multiple broken bones and a collapsed lung. He was taken to St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, where he underwent surgery, authorities said. The other people whose cars were hit suffered minor injuries, according to officials. Authorities said the suspect will face charges including eluding authorities and eight counts of hit-and-run. ﻿The Cox Media Group National Content Desk contributed to this report.

LIVE UPDATES from inside the Kavanaugh-Ford hearing room

Posted: 9:19 am Thursday, September 27th, 2018

By Jamie Dupree

The future of Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh is on the line in a historic Senate hearing on this Thursday, as members of the Senate Judiciary Committee will hear from a woman who accused the judge of sexual misconduct at a high school party back in 1982. Kavanaugh will then defend himself later in the day.

The hearing is reminiscent in many ways of the Clarence Thomas-Anita Hill hearings in 1981, where Hill accused Thomas of sexual harassment; after several extra days of hearings, the Senate confirmed Thomas to the Supreme Court on a vote of 52-48.

Check back for frequent updates from my spot inside the room.

6:50 pm – President Trump quickly weighs in from the White House. There were reports earlier in the day that the President was not pleased with how the Ford testimony had gone for the GOP. He is probably very pleased with how the afternoon went for Judge Kavanaugh.

Judge Kavanaugh showed America exactly why I nominated him. His testimony was powerful, honest, and riveting. Democrats’ search and destroy strategy is disgraceful and this process has been a total sham and effort to delay, obstruct, and resist. The Senate must vote!

6:46 pm – With the quick pound of the gavel, the hearing is over. It’s been an extraordinary day in the history of the U.S. Senate.

6:44 pm – After comments from Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) leads Kavanaugh through each allegation against him, and asks the judge to ‘swear to God’ that those aren’t true. “I swear to God,” Kavanaugh answers.

6:33 pm – After Sen. Cruz jabbed at Sen. Feinstein over leaking the Dr. Ford allegations, Feinstein defends herself, and denies that she or her staff leaked the letter. For Republicans, this is a popular line of argument, blaming Democrats for leaking the Ford information, and thus causing all of the problems for Judge Kavanaugh.

6:25 pm – GOP leaders have to be pleased with the remarks of Republican Senators in the afternoon session with Kavanaugh, sending the message that they are not abandoning Judge Kavanaugh. Sen Ted Cruz (R-TX) tells Kavanaugh this nomination fight has been “one of the most shameful chapters in the history of the US Senate.”

6:15 pm – From outside the hearing room, one Republican takes aim at a Democrat who questioned Kavanaugh.

.@SenBlumenthal lied for years about serving in Vietnam, which is all you need to know about his courage & honesty. Maybe he should reconsider before questioning Judge Kavanaugh’s credibility.

6:10 pm – After (hopefully) one final break, Judge Kavanaugh is back, with about 30 minutes of questioning left. Kavanaugh sounds a little tired as he answers questions from Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI), who is asking about his ‘temperament.’

5:45 pm – Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE) takes the final minute of Sen. Mike Lee’s time, and takes an angle that should make GOP leaders feel better about getting 50 votes for the Kavanaugh nomination – Sasse, who has been quiet for the last 10 days, criticized Sen. Feinstein for not bringing up the question of Dr. Ford’s charges.

5:30 pm – After a break, Kavanaugh apologizes to Klobuchar, whose father was an alcoholic. The Judge acknowledges that he should not have thrown her question back at the Senator. She accepts the apology, but said she was just asking a legitimate question about his drinking habits. Here is the video of the original exchange.

5:07 pm – Kavanaugh continues to spar with Democrats. In a back and forth with Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Kavanaugh bristled at being asked if he had ever blacked out from too much drinking, throwing the question back at the Senator.

Kavanaugh: “I’m curious if you have.”

Klobuchar: “I have no drinking problem, Judge.”

Kavanaugh: “Nor do I.”

4:55 pm – Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) takes his five minutes, as Republicans seem to have given up on the questions from the outside counsel. Cornyn compares recent events to the McCarthy hearings as he tells the judge, “Don’t give up.”

4:45 pm – Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) breaks the silence of GOP Senators today, as he denounces Democrats. Graham is yelling across the dais at Democrats. “This is the most unethical sham since I’ve been in politics.”

4:35 pm – The way this hearing plays across America will be fascinating to watch. I still think it will be much like the 1991 hearings with Anita Hill and Clarence Thomas.

I’m listening to this on radio and it’s awful in every way. I’m glad I cannot see it. I have no idea what to think of it other than that it is making me cringe reflexively.

Judge Brett Kavanaugh and his wife fight back tears as he describes his daughters saying their prayers the other night. Says his 10 year old daughter told her sister that they should "pray for the woman." pic.twitter.com/vpGKpWqSsg

3:19 pm – Kavanaugh looks directly at Democrats and says ‘you’ll never get me to quit.’ Kavanaugh says this was a ‘calculated and orchestrated political hit,” which he says is partly because of “revenge on behalf of the Clintons.”

3:12 pm – Judge Brett Kavanaugh arrives, and angrily denies charges against him. “My family and my name have been totally and permanently destroyed.” He calls the hearings a ‘national disgrace.’

3:05 pm – The lawyers for Dr Ford have stayed in the audience to watch Judge Kavanaugh’s testimony. Ford is not here.

3:00 pm – Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) is back in the room. She responded to my earlier photo of her wiping tears off her face. (My photo wasn’t as good as others, but I’m a radio reporter, not a photojournalist.)

Those of us in the room could feel Dr. Ford's pain as she spoke. I'm in awe of her courage.

2:15 pm – Ford’s testimony is over. 45 minutes break before Judge Kavanaugh appears. It will be a different kind of hearing.

2:11 pm – Chairman Grassley says that Mark Judge has submitted a statement denying that he knows anything about Ford’s allegation of the Kavanaugh incident.

2:08 pm – Ford says Mark Judge would be a witness to talk to. “I would expect that he would remember that this happened.”

2:03 pm – Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) tells Ford that she was right to ask for an FBI investigation. “Judge Kavanaugh has not.” (Photo of Ford listening to Harris.)

1:55 pm – The GOP counsel presses Ford about investigating her claims: “I would be happy to cooperate with the FBI, yes.”

1:47 pm – Ford says she provided her letter to Sen. Feinstein on July 30, and makes clear that she did not authorize its release. This is partly an effort by Republicans to detail how Democrats leaked the letter.

1:42 pm – Sen Mazie Hirono D-HI: “Once again Dr Ford, thank you very much. This is a moment for our country. Mahalo.”

1:37 pm – The hearing is back in session. Ford says she has no political reasons to raise the issue; says it was only because Kavanaugh was on a list of possible nominees.

1:32 pm – From testimony this morning, when Ford was asked what she recalled from the night of the incident. The GOP counsel got her to say that she could not remember how she got to the party, or got home that night.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota, asked Christine Ford about the things she remembers about the night of the alleged attack.

1:15 pm – From various news organizations, the White House and the President are watching this event closely, and there’s a feeling that Dr. Ford is seen as a credible witness. But I will remind everyone that there is a long way to go in this hearing, and this day. If you go back into the C-SPAN files, you can find me saying on day two of the Thomas-Hill hearings that I thought Thomas might be rejected by the Senate.

Trump telling people he’s furious that WH aides didn’t have advance knowledge of how credible Ford would seem, per 2nd source

12:50 pm – Friends asking me for my take on today so far. I guess I would say this. I’m struck by two things so far – Ford talking about the laughter of the boys that has haunted her. And GOP Senators not asking questions.

12:42 pm – The committee takes a 30 minute break. Democratic Senators waited to the side as Dr. Ford leaves the hearing room.

12:30 pm – Ford at the time was staying with her parents at the beach in Delaware. Asked if she told her parents what was going on, Ford said, “Definitely not.” She then went on to describe how she sat in her car in the driveway or in the “Walgreens parking lot” interviewing lawyers, and trying to get legal help.

12:27 pm – Ford says she spoke with Sen. Feinstein in early August, in a brief phone call, to discuss the details of her allegation. This was while Ford was vacationing at the beach in Delaware.

12:20 pm – Sen. Chris Coons D-DE establishes that Ford started trying to get attention to her allegations before Kavanaugh was nominated by President Donald Trump.

12:17 pm – Under questioning by the GOP counsel, Ford was asked various ways who she talked about the Kavanaugh incident with, and why. Ford says her “beach friends” urged her to contact the Washington Post and the New York Times. Ford did contact the Post, and her local lawmaker, Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA).

12:13 pm – Ford again talks about the ‘laughter’ of Kavanaugh and Judge on the night of the incident. This is from earlier.

"The laughter. The uproarious laughter between the two and their having fun at my expense." – Professor Christine Blasey Ford's response when asked about her strongest memory from the incident. pic.twitter.com/dYCflbJXXD

12:07 pm – The GOP counsel presses Ford on air travel. Ford acknowledges she flew to Washington, but says she has a fear of flying. The counsel talks about Ford working for a company in Australia. Ford says the company had an office in San Francisco. “I don’t think I’ll make it to Australia,” Ford says, though she admits that she has flown to many places around the world.

12:00 pm – If you are joining us late, here is some of the earlier testimony of Dr. Ford.

"I am here today not because I want to be. I am terrified. I am here because I believe it is my civic duty to tell you what happened to me while Brett Kavanaugh and I were in high school." – Professor Christine Blasey Ford delivers her opening statement. pic.twitter.com/Uull4PlSus

12:00 pm – Sen. Grassley flashes some frustration after Democrats complain about how the investigation was done by the GOP, defending the effort by Republicans to unearth new information, and how the Ford accusations and others were publicized.

11:50 am – Ford acknowledges that she does not remember who drove her home the night of the alleged attack.

11:45 am – A lawyer friend of mine texts me. “Ridiculous process. 5 minutes of deposition followed by 5 minutes of politics.” That summarizes what will probably come out of this hearing. Each party will be locked in a stalemate politically.

11:35 am – The small size of the audience – and the room – makes it feel more like I’m covering a regular Senate hearing – but the details are anything but.

11:20 am – Ford describes running into Mark Judge the first time after the incident at the Potomac Safeway out River Road; she said hello to him, telling Senators that Judge’s face “went white” when she said hello.

11:15 am – Questioned by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ford says what she remembers most of the night of incident was the laughter of Kavanaugh and his friend Mark Judge. saying the boys were ‘having fun at my expense.’

.@SenatorLeahy: "What is the strongest memory you have…of the incident, something that you can not forget?"

10:47 am – Ford talks about how she tried to get her message out, saying she contacted her local lawmaker in Congress, and sent an encrypted message to the Washington Post. She hoped a confidential accusation would be enough to develop information, without involving a public revelation of her name.

Ford: "I believed he was going to rape me. I tried to yell for help. When I did, Brett put his hand over my mouth to stop me from screaming. This was what terrified me the most… It was hard for me to breathe, and I thought that Brett was accidentally going to kill me."

10:45 am – This is already a different hearing than Anita Hill’s testimony about Clarence Thomas. Hill was stoic throughout her testimony in describing sexual harassment allegations. This is about a sexual attack, and a much more emotional situation.

10:40 am – Near tears at times, Ford describes what she says was an assault by Brett Kavanaugh. Senators are paying very close attention to every word.

10:34 am – “My name is Christine Blasey Ford.”

10:30 am – As we wait, CNN’s Jake Tapper with an interesting thread on who was responsible for the attack on Dr. Ford.

Thread on the Senate Judiciary Committee revealing that they interviewed 2 men who each claimed they were the ones who assaulted Ford, not Kavanaugh. 1/

10:27 am – Unfortunately, reporters in the room cannot see Dr. Ford’s face. In 1991, I was on the side of the room, and could see both Anita Hill and the Senators on the panel. Those watching on TV get the better angles. Sort of like the difference in going to a sporting event, or watching it at home.

10:24 am – Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduces Dr. Ford, and quickly references the Anita Hill hearings, talking about women are reluctant to come forward. “In essence they are put on trial and forced to defend themselves.” Ford is sitting at the witness table, between her lawyers, listening to opening statements.

10:20 am – If you are wondering who is here, apart from Senators and the 48 reporters.

WHO ELSE IS IN THE ROOM:

40 seats for an audience. -10-16 of these are divided up by each party. (This is where lawmakers Sen. Gillibrand, Sheila Jackson-Lee, C. Maloney and Jackie Speier are sitting). – Then 15-20 seats for the witness.

10:15 am – Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA), the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is going through how we got to this point. Grassley repeatedly criticizes Democrats for how they handled the Ford complaining that Democrats were just ‘plain politics.’

"Both Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh have been through a terrible couple of weeks. They and their families have received vile threats … I want to apologize to you both for the way you've been treated." – Sen. @ChuckGrassleypic.twitter.com/vXee3Uk0G0

10:05 am – The gavel sounds. Dr. Ford is here, as is the special counsel who will question her for the GOP side.

9:45 am – Looking down the tables of press people, I would venture to say that I am the only reporter who was in the room for the Anita Hill-Clarence Thomas hearings in 1991, and back here today for the Kavanaugh-Ford hearings. I have to say, while there are certainly differences in the details and the players, the larger debate – and how it may well be resolved – feel very much similar to what I covered then. And I’ve brought my same notebook.

9:36 am – Sitting next to me is my longtime colleague Lisa Desjardins, who now works for the PBS Newshour. She just saw Dr. Christine Blasey Ford in the hallway.

BLASEY FORD is here: I watched her walk past nearly the entire press corps w no one else realizing it was her but one still photographer.

9:35 am – As many of you might know, my voice gave out two years ago, and I am unable to say very much, which doesn’t work very well for a radio reporter. But with the new technology that has given me a computer-generated voice, I am able to file stories for the radio. And because of that, I will be the only reporter actually broadcasting from inside the hearing room today. No microphone needed.

9:25 am – I am squeezed between colleagues from the PBS Newshour and ABC. The witness table is not far away.

9:15 am – I am finally settled in my seat, with my equipment seemingly ready for today. It’s going to be cramped at the press tables; only 48 reporters are being allowed in the committee room, and I’m lucky enough to be one of them, just as I was in 1991 with the Anita Hill-Clarence Thomas hearings.